This invention relates to a mini foldable cycle and more particularly to a cycle which is compact, foldable into a small, readily portable unit and yet feels and behaves when being ridden like a full size bicycle.
Industry surveys show that the most comfortable bicycle for use on a typical pavement surface is one with 26" wheels. When a foldable bicycle is made with wheels of that size, the collapsed unit it too large and inconvenient to render it useful and marketable as a portable or transportable device.
As a result, the industry has compromised on foldable bicyles with 14" wheels. Such bikes lack the comfort and ease of use of the larger size unit, but they do provide a degree of portability not otherwise possible. Small wheels on a bicycle are not as effective in insulating the rider from road shock as large wheels are.
A variety of cycles which are foldable are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,417,834, 3,498,607, 4,202,561, 4,460,191, 4,582,335, and 4,598,923. In all of the designs shown in these patents, portability is obtained by reducing wheel size, but adequate provision for producing a bike which gives the advantages of the larger size wheel is lacking.